Beach Tote

After the success of my first tote bag, I immediately started designing a more complex bag big enough to carry towels and sand toys to the beach.What better project for summer, right? (I had hoped to finish earlier, but as it turned out, I started cutting fabric the day before my son was born. I finished most of it with a sleeping baby strapped to my chest.)

I started with the same basic tutorial, but added the straps and pocket from this other tutorial. I also added 2 pockets on the inside, one divided into 3 smaller pockets.

Most of the bag is strips of bright batiks from my stash, but I fancied up the handles and top by strip piecing some solid jelly roll batiks at an angle (the most time consuming part of the project).